Federal budget confirms $250 million for new and expanded conservation areas

The Federal budget has confirmed a $250 million commitment that will see 30 million hectares of land will gain protected status over the next five years.

The funding for Saving Australia’s Bushland Program will be used to expand existing conservation projects in partnership with states and territory governments and philanthropic organisations, as well as to establish new Indigenous protected areas.

It also advances Australia’s goal of protecting 30% of land by 2030 (‘30 by 30’), aligning with the global commitment made in 2022 by 190 nations under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity.

The commitment has been welcomed by the conservation bodies including the Australian Land Conservation Alliance (ALCA) the Biodiversity Council.

ALCA, the peak body for private land conservation organisations, says that the funding announcement is a major step forwards in delivering thes 30 by 30 commitment, and to help conserve the most important of our country’s biodiversity for future generations of Australians.

Advising that voluntary, strategic land purchase is the key strategy for expanding protected areas and conserving biodiversity, ALCA Chief Executive, Dr Jody Gunn stated "we desperately need more funds to protect more land and ensure we protect not just at scale, but for quality, and to represent the full diversity of habitats and species across Australia.

“Nature underpins our health, wellbeing, and economy. But nature is in real trouble, and currently more than 2,000 animal and plant species are listed as threatened in Australia. Around 50% of those live on privately managed land.

“Wildlife can only survive with somewhere to live. Protecting more land to retain their habitat, and investing in its ongoing management, is one of the most important ways to ensure Australia’s unique wildlife will survive.”

Biodiversity Council Co-chief Councillor and former Queensland Government Chief Scientist Professor Hugh Possingham from the University of Queensland, agreed, noting "this new commitment is an important step toward protecting Australia’s unique landscapes.

“At the moment less than 10c out of every $100 the Australian Government spends hits the ground for consequences, so we need to see a significant uplift in overall investment to tackle the loss of ecosystems and wildlife.

“This investment is important to enable Australia to meet our commitment to protect 30 percent of our lands and seas by 2030 as a signatory to the Global Biodiversity Framework.

“The previous National Reserve System program was one of the most successful conservation programs in Australia's history and enjoyed bipartisan support.

“This is a positive step toward setting aside space for our unique plants and animals, but we also need to see greatly increased funding to effectively manage these conservation areas so native plants, animals and ecosystems can survive and thrive in these places.

“This means ongoing investment to tackle the drivers of biodiversity loss, such as invasive plants and animals, and effective fire management."

The Federal Government’s last audit in 2022 found that at least an additional 60 million hectares of land must be protected to meet Australia’s 30 by 30 commitment.

As at that audit, Australia had protected about 170 million hectares of land - approximately 22% of the country. This includes national parks, Indigenous Protected Areas, and more than 6,000 privately protected areas that are owned and managed for conservation by individual landholders and land conservancy organisations.

Dr Gunn added “with the right program design, this funding can leverage co-investment from state and territory governments, international philanthropy, and the private sector to help it stretch further. Our sector is ready to put these funds to work, and to kickstart renewed Federal investment in protected areas into on-ground action for nature.

She went on to urge other political parties to match and exceed the current Federal Government’s commitment, going on to say "we urge the Coalition and other parties and independents to make commitments that deliver for nature and people. Investment in nature is an investment in Australia’s future.”

Zoos SA Pandas

In partnership with the South Australian Government the Federal budget will also give $7.6 million over 10 years “to support the giant pandas at Adelaide Zoo”.

Image: National Parks, like Kalamunda National Park outside of Perth, are an important part of the protected areas network. Image source: Honeydew a CC BY-SA 4.0 Wikimedia Commons